The Contract

"There's a lot you can offer me. It's not like I have it all... technically," he said. 

"Technically, you have everything, and it's not running dry even in your tenth generation." She was about to plug her earphones back in, but he stopped her. 

He chuckled. "You know what? You're right,"

"Yeah, I am. Now, there are two things that are going to happen." He raised a brow, anticipating what she'd say next. "The brow thing shows you're listening. Good. Now, it's either you go ahead and ask me whatever favor it is you want me to grant, or you'll go ahead and leave me be to listen to my music. Your choice." 

He smirked. "You know, for a petite and a cutie, you're so stubborn, cold, and a little too much with the tough girl act. It's sexy, if you ask me." 

She rolled her eyes. "And for a muscular, annoying, flirtatious, non-sexy hottie, you're being a little too flirty with the pick-up lines. It's lame, if you ask me."

"Whoa, at least someone thinks I'm hot." 

"Seriously, is this how you go about sweet coating and swooning every lady in New York to your side because it's annoying? I guess you've made your choice, Shawn." She plugged in her earphones, but he took them out. 

"I'm sorry I had to do that. Well, let's reserve the favor for another day. But, you owe me one, please. We didn't negotiate the contract." He handed her a brown envelope. "Go through it. I'm ready to answer any and all of your questions; we might make a change if anything doesn't sit well with you." He adjusted his suit and leaned back on his seat. 

The car pulled over in front of the hospital, and she got down. 

"Jazzie," he called out after she had alighted.

She turned on her heels. "It's Jazmyn."

"Same thing." She rolled her eyes. "I was hoping you could stop by my mansion to see my mom. Proper introduction." 

"I'll think about it." She walked into the hospital. 

He stared at her a little longer till she was out of sight, then the car zoomed off. 

JAZMYN

"Hey Lyn." She started after settling down next to her on the bed. 

"My spirit tells me you have something to say." 

She sighed. "It's simple logical reasoning. It's what happens every day, not your spirit telling you." 

"Yeah, but it's not everyday your daughter comes to you just from her date." 

"You saw?" She asked. "What am I even asking? Of course, you did. Shawn isn't my date. We didn't go on a date. It was purely business." 

"Oh, he has a name. I thought your business associates were only called by their last names and titles. You use his first name; now, that ain't business, my child." She smiled.

"Jaz. What's the doctor saying about your health?" 

"I see what you did there. But there have been no improvements lately. I'll be fine." 

"Did Kay stay a while with you?" 

"You don't want to talk about Kay. Tell me, what's going on, child?" She asked.

"Mom!" She yelled. "Can you not? You make me sound like a toddler. And I'm not talking boys with you." She got off the bed. 

"Boys? We're women. Black women, Jazmyn."

"What has that got to do with boys, mama? I didn't get the melanin."

"I'm saying, I can tell, even without you saying anything, how you feel about Shawn. He's such a nice young man." 

"How can you know? You've never even met him. You only saw him from a distance. He's such a dick." She took out the papers from the brown envelope. 

"What's that?"

"It's work, mama. You should rest. It's a contract." 

"Contract?"

"Yes mom. Contract. I'm sure you know what that is. You should rest now." 

She read the contract and, not satisfied with what she read, put it away in the envelope. 

"Mama, I know I just got here, but I have to go. Duty calls, but I'll be back before you know it." She said. 

"It's fine. Kay would be here soon." Lyn smiled lightheartedly. She leaned over and placed a kiss on her forehead before heading out of the ward. 

'How could he?' She thought. She had already ordered a ride, and it arrived in a couple of minutes. 

"Ryder's apartment. I'm sure you know where that is." She said. 

"It's opposite Harrison's, sure."

She went through the contract once again, but she wasn't satisfied with some of the terms, and she wanted to clarify it and replace some of the terms with hers.

"Ryder's apartment, ma'am," He said so, and she paid him off before alighting the car. 

In front of her stood a very tall mansion, beautiful on the outside, that depicted luxury and class. 

She stood, delighted by what she saw. She headed for the front door when a hefty guy walked up to her. 

"Miss Cooper?" He asked. 

"Yes," she replied calmly. 

"I'm Gerald; Mr. Ryder's expecting you. Shall we?"

She shook her head, then followed his lead as they walked into the mansion. 

The interiors were even more luxurious than the outside. There were glass artifacts seated on the tables in the room they just entered. There were numerous paintings on the wall, and the chandelier was made of diamonds, drawing her attention to it. A painting caught her attention. She shifted her focus to the painting; it was a portrait of a black lady, only that this lady looked familiar. 

"Gerald?" 

"Yes, ma'am?" He replied. 

"Who's that lady in the portrait?" She asked. 

"Oh, she. That's Mrs. Cooper." He replied.

"She used to be best friends with Mrs. Ryder before she passed on. Ma'am wanted something to use as a reminder of her best friend, so, uh, she had someone paint her, and then she had it hung in the living room, as a reminder, of course." He replied. 

"I see; they must have had a lot together.

What's her first name?" She asked. 

"What?" He asked politely. 

"Ms, Cooper. What's her first name?" She asked.

"Jaz, I wasn't expecting to see you now." Shawn said as he walked into the room.

"Thank you, Gerald. You can leave now." 

"How did you know I was here already?" She asked. 

"Glass doors and windows. So, Ms. Cooper, have you come to tell me you agree with the rules stated in the contract or otherwise?" He crossed his legs. 

"Actually, I came to change some rules. I'm not comfortable with them. But, uh, the lady in the portrait, do you know her first name?" She asked. 

"Who's asking?" Ms. Ryder interrupted as she halted in front of the doorway. 

"Jazmyn. Jazmyn Cooper, ma'am." She stretched her hands out after Ms. Ryder walked into the room. 

"Is she the new Ms. Ryder?" Riele asked, shifting her focus towards Shawn.

"Soon to be, hopefully." He said. 

"Hopefully?" She raised a brow. 

"Soon to be. Not hopefully, Ms. Ryder." Jaz said. 

"I like her already. Well, what's your concern with my portrait?" Riele asked. 

"She looks familiar, that's all." 

Riele smirked. "Well, that's Anna Cooper. We used to be best friends back in the days before she passed." Riele said.

"Passed, like, dead?" 

"Well, that's what they say, but I know she isn't dead. I know Anna more than anyone, and I know she only fled from her problems, but soon she'd be back. They ruled her dead when all efforts to find her became fruitless. I'm Riele, Shawn's mother." Riele said. 

"Nice meeting you, Ms."

"Riele, please." A faint smile played on her lips. 

"Riele." She nodded. 

"Mother, um, Jaz is here for business, and you're interrupting the moment." Shawn said, seeming a little jealous, that his mom had stolen his girl in a one-minute conversation.

"I'll leave you two to it then." She said, walking away. 

An awkward silence hit the room after she left. Jaz kept staring at the portrait. It looked very much like her mom, but her mom's name wasn't Anna. 

"So, Ms. Cooper." Shawn called out, drawing her attention back to him. 

"Yes, the rules." She tossed the envelope on the table. "Section 2.1, I'm not okay with it. I'm not going to act like we're together in public." She started. 

"And why is that?" 

She sighed. "We're doing this for your mom, so it stays indoors." 

"I already thought about that, Ms. Cooper, but my family is pretty popular, and it's hard to keep the press and paparazzi away. We're going to be on the paper. It would be a disgrace if what's on the papers is news like 'Billionaire son Shawn Ryder caught having an affair with a random lady.' My family has prestige and reputation, Jaz, and we don't do affairs. I'm not calling you a random lady, but I'm only trying to make a point, that's all." 

"Ouch." She furrowed her brows. "You know, I should really be so mad at you right now for calling me random, and I should be walking out on you this second without another word, but I won't. I won't because I understand your point and because I really need this." She rolled her eyes. 

"Good. Stubborn little fellow." He chuckled. "Is that all you wish to change, Ms. Cooper?"

"Clause 2.4, I can't sleepover; I'm not your wife, and I have a house. I can't see you ten times in a week. My world doesn't revolve around you, and I'm not jobless or obsessed to see you ten times in a week."

He smiled as he watched her point out everything. 

"I'm going to see you only three times in a week, and I'm not having anything like a sleepover. Clause 1.4: I happened to miss that on my way. You can't be aware of my every movement. I'm not going to be reporting anything to you. Clause 2.8: I can meet with whoever I want, be it a girl or a guy. I'll keep the paparazzi and the press away. Secondly, I'm not a whore to have strings of men, Shawn. I mean, think highly of me for a damn second!" 

"All are fine by me. Whatever you do, don't complain about Section 3.0 because I won't change it no matter what you say." He leaned back on his seat. 

"I was just about to talk about that one. I'm not going to have a fake wedding with you! I'm not going to be intimate with you, not even for once. This is a fake engagement, Shawn." She said. 

"Lower your voice, Miss Feisty. My mom can't know we're faking this. No one can. Follow me." He got up from the recliner and headed out of the living room with her tailing behind him. 

"Where the hell are we going, Shawn?"